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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804911">I Knew You Would Always Be There</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkDippedFingertips/pseuds/InkDippedFingertips'>InkDippedFingertips</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Symphony of Our Catastrophe [44]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>X-Men (Movieverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, Drabble, Erik Lehnsherr Has Feelings, M/M, Pre-Slash, Protective Erik Lehnsherr, Short &amp; Sweet, Sick Charles Xavier, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, X-Men: First Class (2011)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:40:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkDippedFingertips/pseuds/InkDippedFingertips</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles wakes up with a cold and Erik watches over him.</p><p> </p><p>Bad Things Happen Bingo I5: Common Cold</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Symphony of Our Catastrophe [44]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1375738</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Knew You Would Always Be There</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charles felt terrible.</p><p>Waking up in the decidedly uncomfortable bed at CIA headquarters, he knew immediately that today would be one of abject misery. He and Erik had only just returned from their latest recruitment and they were due to leave tonight on yet another attempt. Though…to be fair this next one seemed much more hopeful then the others.</p><p>Except Charles could barely breathe through his nose and his head felt thick with congestion, which in turn was giving him a migraine of epic proportions. Honestly, it was ridiculous but coupled with the shivery ache running through his body he’d be more of a hindrance then a help to Erik and the new the recruit. Curling up, one hand settling decidedly on his head, Charles resigned himself to sending Raven with him.</p><p>Even the subtle light fighting its way through the thick curtains was making his head spin. Texting would be hellish on his eyes and getting up to tell his sister and Erik the news would certainly make him throw up, which meant the only real option was to attempt telepathy without brining Raven or Erik to their knees.</p><p>Grimacing, Charles first tried to locate them. He wasn’t fond of sending Raven out into the wilds with Erik, not because he didn’t trust her or Erik but because well actually no, he supposed he didn’t trust them. Raven would certainly irritate Erik, which was alright, but her mutation was hardly a defensible one and her tact left much to be desired. The chances of them actually recruiting the new mutant didn’t look all that good. Then of course there was Erik himself, who wasn’t very good at being persuasive, too caught up in his own hatred to offer a gentle hand. Plus, there was always the possibility of him going to far for the very same reason if the mutant turned out to be different then what they expected.</p><p>Heaving a heavy sigh, Charles tried to ignore his misgivings. Erik would refuse to go with another agent, to work with anyone, even Moira unless they too were mutants. Charles could not go and that left no other option. When stuck with a rock and a hard place, best go with the least painful of the two.</p><p>Charles managed to identify both of their minds, sequestered in their rooms but he hesitated. Directed his attention toward Raven, mindful of his promise to stay out of Erik’s head barring some form of emergency. He tried to be careful, he really did, but Raven physically gasped when he pushed his way into her mind.</p><p>
  <em>Charles, what the hell? Are you alright?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Just a cold Raven. I imagine it’ll past quickly. I won’t be able to accompany Erik tonight; however, would you mind going for me?</em>
</p><p>There was a distinct pause in her mind, duel emotions warring in one another. Excitement was the most prevalent and Charles had to contain a sigh. The other was mildly insulting, namely the distrust she apparently had in him to take care of himself. Her mind was filled with images of Hank and him sneaking off to Cerebro.</p><p>
  <em>Don’t be ridiculous Raven. I’ll be fine, I can hardly leave my bed as it is.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sorry Charles. Yes, I’ll go but I’m telling Moira to keep an eye on you.</em>
</p><p>He just huffed and broke the connection gratefully. Already his head was throbbing despite the minimal effort he’d put in to speak with Raven. Eager to sleep away his cold, despite the dryness in his mouth and the decided hell that his body was wreaking, Charles curled up into a tighter ball and closed his eyes, determined to find sleep once more.</p><p>It didn’t last long.</p><p>
  <em>Incoming Charles!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sorry!</em>
</p><p>Before he could figure out the decidedly shocked and amused tone of Raven’s thoughts, there was very loud and abrupt knocking from his door, making his groan loudly. He was in no state to receive visitors, let alone Hank or Moira…another hard knock and Charles blinked in surprise when the hostile mind held the familiar cues of a certain German man.</p><p>Frustrated that he’d be forced to explain the situation himself, Charles called out with his hoarse voice, “open the door yourself! I’m not getting up.”</p><p>There was the sound of the lock sliding to the side and the knob turning but Charles didn’t bother emerging from his blankets when Erik stepped swiftly into the room, eyes taking him in with a critical glint.</p><p>“You’re not going?”</p><p>Erik was too smart to play dumb, honestly. Wincing, Charles sat up just a little bit, watched realization dawn on him, “no Erik, I’m not going. Raven can accompany you tonight. I’m sick as you can very well see and frankly, colds wreak havoc on my telepathy…so if you’d give me some peace?”</p><p>There was a long pause as Erik stared at him to the point that Charles was tempted to just roll over and fall asleep, leaving him there. Except…Erik finally turned not toward the door like he’d expected but toward the bathroom. Charles stared at him incredulously until he emerged with a glass of water in one hand and a waste basket in the other. Not looking at him, Erik deposited the basket on the side of the bed and the water on nightstand. Then, with startling normalcy, he opened the top drawer and pulled out Charles’s aspirin like he knew it was there though Charles had never told him.</p><p>He did all this in silence and once he was done he went to the window and closed the shades more firmly, went the door and closed it without stepping out, and finally settled in one of the chairs that they so often played chess in. It was facing the bed and he simply raised an eyebrow at his expression.</p><p>Charles couldn’t help himself. He skated his telepathy across the edge of Erik’s mind, unnoticeable and only enough to get an impression. What he found made his heartbeat faster and warmth to stir in his stomach. Erik had no intention of leaving except to get food or more medicine, he seemed to have some irrational fear that Charles would drop dead and he’d be left alone again for the first time since being fished out of the ocean.</p><p>Charles supposed it should be left as one of the hundreds of things that often went unsaid between them, too kind and too soft to be brought into the world with simple words. Love worked strangely like that, especially between men in this day and age.</p><p>“Thank you,” Charles murmured.</p><p>Erik said nothing, simply nodded, eyes steady and watchful over him.</p>
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